Pelican curls are an advanced calisthenics exercise designed to target the biceps, shoulders, and chest. Unlike traditional bicep curls, pelican curls require the use of gymnastic rings or TRX straps, making them a bodyweight exercise that challenges your strength, control, and stability. This exercise is particularly popular among gymnasts and calisthenics enthusiasts looking to build arm strength and muscle endurance.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to perform pelican curls, the benefits they offer, and tips for incorporating them into your workout routine.
Table of Contents
What Are Pelican Curls?
Pelican curls are a bodyweight exercise performed on gymnastic rings or suspension straps. They are a combination of a bicep curl and an extension, which targets the biceps and engages the shoulders and chest as stabilizers. This unique movement forces your body to work against gravity, requiring more control and strength than typical curling exercises.
How to Perform Pelican Curls: Step-by-Step
1. Set Up the Rings or Straps
- Adjust the Rings: Set your gymnastic rings or TRX straps at chest height or slightly lower. Ensure they’re securely attached and evenly spaced.
- Grip the Rings: Stand in front of the rings, gripping them with your palms facing inward. Maintain a neutral body position to start.
2. Lean Foward
- Body Position: Lean your body forward while keeping your arms straight. The more parallel your body is to the ground, the harder the exercise becomes. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels.
- Core Engaged: Keep your core tight and your body aligned to maintain stability during the movement.
3. Lower Your Body
- Lower Down: Slowly bend your elbows and lower your body forward, allowing your chest to drop below the rings. This is the eccentric phase, which stretches the biceps while maintaining control.
- Keep the Tension: Allow your elbows to move behind your body as you lower, but keep your body stable and avoid collapsing into the rings.
4. Curl Back Up
- Bicep Curl: Once you reach the bottom position, engage your biceps and curl your body back up by bending your elbows and pulling your chest back to the starting position.
- Controlled Motion: Make sure the movement is slow and controlled, focusing on muscle engagement rather than momentum.
Benefits of Pelican Curls
1. Bicep Strength and Size
Pelican curls target the biceps through a full range of motion, promoting muscle growth and strength. The added resistance from body weight makes this exercise more challenging than traditional bicep curls.
2. Shoulder Stability
As you perform pelican curls, your shoulders work hard to stabilize your body, improving shoulder mobility and strength over time.
3. Progression to Advanced Moves
Pelican curls are a great stepping stone for developing the strength required for advanced calisthenics moves like the front lever or muscle-up.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Losing Control
One of the key aspects of pelican curls is control. Dropping too quickly into the lower phase of the movement can put strain on your joints and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. Focus on slow, deliberate movements.
2. Overextending the Elbows
When lowering your body, avoid overextending or locking out your elbows, which can cause strain and injury. Maintain a slight bend to keep tension on the biceps.
3. Piking or Letting the Core Sag
To prevent injury and ensure proper form, it’s essential to maintain a tight core throughout the exercise. Avoid allowing your hips to sag or piking your body, as this can compromise the effectiveness of the movement and lead to strain in your lower back.
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Modifications and Progressions
Beginner Modifications
- Higher Ring Position: If pelican curls are too difficult, start by raising the rings higher and walk more forward to reduce the load on your arms.
- Partial Range of Motion: You can also limit your range of motion, gradually increasing it as you build strength.
Advanced Variations
- Get closer to Parallel Position: To make the exercise harder, position your body closer to parallel with the ground, increasing the intensity.
How to Incorporate Pelican Curls Into Your Workout Routine
Include pelican curls in your arm day routine, performing 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps to build bicep strength and endurance. Add pelican curls to your full-body workouts, pairing them with exercises like dips, push-ups, or rows for a balanced routine. Use pelican curls as a progression toward more advanced calisthenics skills, like the front lever or muscle-up.
Conclusion
Pelican curls are a unique and challenging exercise that can significantly boost your bicep strength while improving shoulder stability and core engagement. Whether you’re an advanced athlete or just looking to add variety to your arm training, mastering pelican curls will take your upper body strength to the next level.
Start slow, focus on form, and gradually progress to harder variations as you build strength.
Related posts:
Free Calisthenics Programs💪
Anton has been training calisthenics for many years and has experience coaching calisthenics. As a calisthenics nerd, I enjoy diving deep into various topics related to calisthenics.